Chapter 69 – Suspicious Sebastian
Sebastian sat back in his chair and tapped his pen against the desk. The workload for the day had been tough, but he took comfort in his concentration, he plunged himself into his work
like a man on a mission as soon as the trial was over and his innocence was established.
Weekends at the beach or evenings at the bar with his friends now seemed like unneeded distractions. His coworkers were aware of the change, but nobody dared to confront it head-
or’s
- on. He had someone to forget, or something to prove, they murmured.
He had to examine the company’s upscale properties today. One of Sebastian’s duties as the Lease and property manager at a high–end real estate company was to make sure the priciest listings were properly promoted. As his fingertips moved around the digital portfolio, he
noticed a property he was familiar with,
“Shortlet Apartment 502, Belvoir Gardens,” he murmured to himself. The completely furnished penthouse, which offered sweeping city views, was one of the firm’s most expensive short–term rental properties. Sebastian scowled as he noticed that it was tagged “Occupied ”
“That’s odd” he thought, leaning forward. He would have been aware of any substantial rental at Belvoir Towers, one of their premier properties, he clicked into the details, intrigued. A beat skipped through his chest,
“Madeline Graves” was the name that gazed back at him. Sebastian remained frozen for a while, shock rushing through him. As he contemplated whether to delve more, his fingers lingered over the keyboard. He opened the payment information in spite of himself, he saw a receipt revealing a sizable deposit, made by his boss, Jacob O’Connell.
His eyes strayed to Jacob’s workspace. Minutes before, the man had arrived, using his own elevator as usual. Sebastian’s interest and the pain in his chest were further heightened by Jacob’s involvement. He rubbed his temple and let out a quick breath,
“It doesn’t matter” he told himself,
“She moved on. She’s happy”
But curiosity gnawed at him in spite of his better sense, he justified it by telling himself that inspecting properties was a part of his profession. Sebastian decided he’d go to the penthouse. Even if Madeline were present, he wouldn’t speak to her, it was merely an expert examination. He jumped up and snatched up his keys and coat
“I’ll be back shortly” he mumbled to his assistant as he exited the office. His mind was racing with feelings he was trying to repress throughout the peaceful journey to Belvoir Gardens. He veered off course as he got closer to the apartment, heading toward the back entry where the service road led to the garden area.
He made sure his car wouldn’t be observed by parking it secretly. Even from a distance, the
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place was breathtaking, luxurious landscape and modern architecture combine to create the ideal balance of comfort and luxury. Sebastian gingerly made his way over, taking in the immaculate windows and private balcony.
He knelt down close to the garden and looked through the sliding glass doors. Everything was spotless inside, luxurious furniture shone in the dim light, and the interior design exuded Jacob’s excessive sense of style.
Sebastian felt a twinge of remorse as he thought of Madeline living a life he could never have provided for her, his sad thoughts were cut short by a scream, a sharp sound. Sebastian’s heart was racing as he froze. Nothing caught his eye as he looked about the house.
He wondered if she had dropped something, but then he heard it again, more loudly, and with more pain. His veins were filled with adrenaline, his body pressed against the chilly stone of the garden wall as he ducked forward. He tried to understand the sounds by straining his ears,
“Madeline?” he whispered to himself, fear creeping into his voice.
In search of a better look, he slipped closer to the window. He tried to look around the corner, his hands pressed against the glass. Inside, he could hear muffled noises and heavy footsteps. There was a serious problem, his heart wouldn’t let him leave, even though instinct told him to go and contact the police.
His fingers trembled as he grabbed for his phone, wondering if he should call emergency services or Jacob. There was a collision after another scream shattered the atmosphere, okay, that was enough.
Sebastian tested whether the door was locked by pulling on the handle, he was shocked when it opened. With caution, he entered, his own heartbeat thumping in his ears, it was suddenly strangely silent in the main room. No evidence of a fight was seen, and the furniture was undamaged.
He could sense, however, that there was something evil in the air,
“Madeline?” he called softly, his voice trembling, there was no answer.
His footsteps were muffled by the soft carpet as he made his way farther inside the house. His gut dropped when he arrived at the hallway and saw a broken vase on the floor, glass fragments gleaming in the light like daggers. His blood ran cold when he cautiously pushed the door open and saw what was within.
The space was a mess, Madeline’s phone was crushed on the floor, and sheets were scattered on the bed, there was a slight chemical odor in the air, and Sebastian’s eyes fell on a piece of cloth that had been thrown away close to the dresser.
But Madeline was nowhere to be seen.
His mind raced as he pieced together the clues. Someone had been here, Someone had taken her.
Chapter 69–Suspicious Sebastian
place was breathtaking, luxurious landscape and modern architecture combine to create the ideal balance of comfort and luxury. Sebastian gingerly made his way over, taking in the immaculate windows and private balcony.
He knelt down close to the garden and looked through the sliding glass doors. Everything was spotless inside, luxurious furniture shone in the dim light, and the interior design exuded Jacob’s excessive sense of style.
Sebastian felt a twinge of remorse as he thought of Madeline living a life he could never have provided for her, his sad thoughts were cut short by a scream, a sharp sound. Sebastian’s heart was racing as he froze. Nothing caught his eye as he looked about the house.
He wondered if she had dropped something, but then he heard it again, more loudly, and with more pain. His veins were filled with adrenaline, his body pressed against the chilly stone of the garden wall as he ducked forward. He tried to understand the sounds by straining his ears,
“Madeline?” he whispered to himself, fear creeping into his voice.
In search of a better look, he slipped closer to the window. He tried to look around the corner, his hands pressed against the glass. Inside, he could hear muffled noises and heavy footsteps. There was a serious problem, his heart wouldn’t let him leave, even though instinct told him to go and contact the police.
His fingers trembled as he grabbed for his phone, wondering if he should call emergency services or Jacob. There was a collision after another scream shattered the atmosphere, okay, that was enough.
Sebastian tested whether the door was locked by pulling on the handle, he was shocked when it opened. With caution, he entered, his own heartbeat thumping in his ears, it was suddenly strangely silent in the main room. No evidence of a fight was seen, and the furniture was
undamaged.
He could sense, however, that there was something evil in the air,
“Madeline?” he called softly, his voice trembling, there was no answer.
His footsteps were muffled by the soft carpet as he made his way farther inside the house. His gut dropped when he arrived at the hallway and saw a broken vase on the floor, glass fragments gleaming in the light like daggers, His blood ran cold when he cautiously pushed the door open and saw what was within.
The space was a mess, Madeline’s phone was crushed on the floor, and sheets were scattered on the bed, there was a slight chemical odor in the air, and Sebastian’s eyes fell on a piece of cloth that had been thrown away close to the dresser.
But Madeline was nowhere to be seen.
His mind raced as he pieced together the clues. Someone had been here,
